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Score = 6—Essays within this score range demonstrate effective skill
in responding to the task.
The essay shows a clear understanding of the task. The essay takes a
position on the issue and may offer a critical context for discussion. The
essay addresses complexity by examining different perspectives on the
issue, or by evaluating the implications and/or complications of the issue,
or by fully responding to counterarguments to the writer’s position.
Development of ideas is ample, specific, and logical. Most ideas are
fully elaborated. A clear focus on the specific issue in the prompt is
maintained. The organization of the essay is clear: the organization may
be somewhat predictable or it may grow from the writer’s purpose. Ideas
are logically sequenced. Most transitions reflect the writer’s logic and are
usually integrated into the essay. The introduction and conclusion are
effective, clear, and well developed. The essay shows a good command
of language. Sentences are varied and word choice is varied and
precise. There are few, if any, errors to distract the reader.
Score = 5—Essays within this score range demonstrate competent
skill in responding to the task.
The essay shows a clear understanding of the task. The essay takes a
position on the issue and may offer a broad context for discussion. The
essay shows recognition of complexity by partially evaluating the
implications and/or complications of the issue, or by responding to
counterarguments to the writer’s position. Development of ideas is
specific and logical. Most ideas are elaborated, with clear movement
between general statements and specific reasons, examples, and
details. Focus on the specific issue in the prompt is maintained. The
organization of the essay is clear, although it may be predictable. Ideas
are logically sequenced, although simple and obvious transitions may be
used. The introduction and conclusion are clear and generally well
developed. Language is competent. Sentences are somewhat varied and
word choice is sometimes varied and precise. There may be a few errors,
but they are rarely distracting.
Score = 4—Essays within this score range demonstrate adequate
skill in responding to the task.
The essay shows an understanding of the task. The essay takes a
position on the issue and may offer some context for discussion. The
essay may show some recognition of complexity by providing some
response to counterarguments to the writer’s position. Development of
ideas is adequate, with some movement between general statements
and specific reasons, examples, and details. Focus on the specific
issue in the prompt is maintained throughout most of the essay. The
organization of the essay is apparent but predictable. Some evidence of
logical sequencing of ideas is apparent, although most transitions are
simple and obvious. The introduction and conclusion are clear and
somewhat developed. Language is adequate, with some sentence
variety and appropriate word choice. There may be some distracting
errors, but they do not impede understanding.
Score = 3—Essays within this score range demonstrate some
developing skill in responding to the task.
The essay shows some understanding of the task. The essay takes a
position on the issue but does not offer a context for discussion. The
essay may acknowledge a counterargument to the writer’s position, but
its development is brief or unclear. Development of ideas is limited and
may be repetitious, with little, if any, movement between general
statements and specific reasons, examples, and details. Focus on the
general topic is maintained, but focus on the specific issue in the prompt
may not be maintained. The organization of the essay is simple. Ideas
are logically grouped within parts of the essay, but there is little or no
evidence of logical sequencing of ideas. Transitions, if used, are simple
and obvious. An introduction and conclusion are clearly discernible but
underdeveloped. Language shows a basic control. Sentences show a
little variety and word choice is appropriate. Errors may be distracting
and may occasionally impede understanding.
Score = 2—Essays within this score range demonstrate inconsistent
or weak skill in responding to the task.
The essay shows a weak understanding of the task. The essay may not
take a position on the issue, or the essay may take a position but fail to
convey reasons to support that position, or the essay may take a position
but fail to maintain a stance. There is little or no recognition of a
counterargument to the writer’s position. The essay is thinly developed.
If examples are given, they are general and may not be clearly relevant.
The essay may include extensive repetition of the writer’s ideas or of
ideas in the prompt. Focus on the general topic is maintained, but focus
on the specific issue in the prompt may not be maintained. There is
some indication of an organizational structure, and some logical
grouping of ideas within parts of the essay is apparent. Transitions, if
used, are simple and obvious, and they may be inappropriate or
misleading. An introduction and conclusion are discernible but minimal.
Sentence structure and word choice are usually simple. Errors may be
frequently distracting and may sometimes impede understanding.
Score = 1—Essays within this score range show little or no skill in
responding to the task.
The essay shows little or no understanding of the task. If the essay takes
a position, it fails to convey reasons to support that position. The essay is
minimally developed. The essay may include excessive repetition of the
writer’s ideas or of ideas in the prompt. Focus on the general topic is
usually maintained, but focus on the specific issue in the prompt may
not be maintained. There is little or no evidence of an organizational
structure or of the logical grouping of ideas. Transitions are rarely used.
If present, an introduction and conclusion are minimal. Sentence
structure and word choice are simple. Errors may be frequently
distracting and may significantly impede understanding.
No Score—Blank, Off-Topic, Illegible, Not in English, or Void
How to Score the Writing Test
It is difficult to be objective about one’s own work. However, it is
to your advantage to read your own writing critically. Becoming
your own editor helps you grow as a writer and as a reader. It
may also be helpful for you to give your practice essay to another
reader: a classmate, parent, or teacher. To rate your essay, you
and your reader(s) should review the scoring guidelines and
sample essays at www.actstudent.org/writing, and then assign
your practice essay a score of 1 (low) through 6 (high).
Scoring Guidelines (below)
These are the guidelines that will be used to score your essay. To
score your paper, read your response and try to determine which
score point best describes your essay.
B
ecause your Writing Test subscore (2–12 range) is the sum of
two readers’ ratings of your essay, you should multiply your score
by 2 when you use Table 4, on page 62, to find your Combined
English/Writing score. If two readers score your practice essay,
add those scores together.
Comparing Your Scores
The Writing Test norms table (Table 3B on page 60) allows you to
compare your score on the practice Writing Test with the scores
of recent high school graduates who took the ACT Plus Writing.
For example, a Writing subscore of 8 has a cumulative percent of
87. This means that 87% of students had a Writing subscore of 8
or lower. Your scores and percents at or below are only estimates
of the scores you will receive on an actual administration of the
ACT Plus Writing. They should be considered in connection with
y
our performance on other essay tests and your planned college
curriculum.
Scoring Guidelines for the ACT Writing Test
Papers at each level exhibit all or most of the characteristics described at each score point.